Sealed identification-tag case and mounting



April 14, 1931. J G R SEALED IDENTIFICATION TAG CASE AND MOUNTING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 20, 1930 m LJ l-4mnnnnnnnnnnmnnm xi f In as n to r A iforney April 14, 1931. KlGER SEALED IDENTIFICATION TAG CASE AND MOUNTING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Filed Feb. 20, 1950 Patented Apr. 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LUTHER J. KIGER, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, .ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL AUTO TAG SEAL CORPORATION, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, A CORPORATION OF TENNESSEE SEALED IDENTIFICATION-TAG CASE AND MOUNTING Application filed February 20, 1930. Serial No. 430,029.

This invention relates to sealed identification tag casings and mountings therefor, and anobject of the invention is to provide for locking the identification tag and its casing 5, in association with the license plate so that the casing will be within easy reach at all times for identification purposes.

Another feature of the present invention is to provide an identification tag casing, the

m parts of which are locked together, in addition to the locking means on the mounting. Further objects of the invention are to provide a device of the character referred to that is strong, compact and durable, thoroughly reliable for its intended purpose, preventing unauthorized tampering with the identification' information, that. is very easily and simply associated with the mounting, and that is comparatively inexpensive to manuzu facture, and install. 7

TVith the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consist-s of a novel con struction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein is disclosed an embodiment of'th'e invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications, maybe resorted to without departing from 3c the spirit of the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views Figure l is a rear elevation of a license tag showing a casing and mounting of the present invention associated therewith,

Fig. 2 is a detailed vertical section taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1,

-Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the identification tag casing,

"Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the identification tag casing partly in section,

Fig. 5 is a detailed vertical section taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the cover for the identificationtag casing,

Fig. 7 .is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 77 of Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the identification tag casing with the cover removed therefrom,

Fig. 9. is a side elevation of the locking bolt,

Fig. 10 is an axial section through the cap for the locking bolt,

Fig. 11 is a transverse section through the cap for the locking bolt taken substantially on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the license tag illustrating a modified form of mounting the identification tag casing thereon,

Fig. 13 is a detailed vertical section taken substantially on the line 13-13 of Fig. 12,

Fig. 14 is an enlarged vertical fragmentary section in detail taken substantially on the line 14-14 of Fig. 12, and illustrating an additional means of scaling the identification tag casing.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 15, 16 designate a pair of supporting arms, the lower ends of which are anchored to the rear end of an automobile not shown in the drawings.

The upper end of each arm is provided with a suitable opening 17 to receive the locking bolts to be presently described. The upper ends of the arms project rearwardly from the rear of the automobile for supporting .a license plate 18 which is of the usual configuration and formed of metal.

The license plate 18 is provided on one face With suitable numerals to identify the car to which it is attached; The license plate 18 is provided with openings 10 one at each corner or a pair of slots 20 along the upper margin thereof, for attaching the plates to the supporting bars. The mounting for the preferred form of the invention is particularly described and claimed in my application, Serial No. 430,030, filed this 20th day .of February, 1930. i

The mounting for the identification tag casing consists of a bolt indicated generally at 21 that is adapted to extend through one of the slots 20 or one opening 19 in the license plate. The inner end of the bolt extends through one of the supporting arms 15 or 16 and is adapted to be locked to the supporting arm in a manner to be presently described.

It is to be understood that the identification tag casing to be presently described, is mounted on the bolt either rearwardly of the a license plate, or forwardly of the license plate as will presently appear. The locking bolt 21 includes a shank 22 that is threaded for the major portion of its length as at 23,

' and has a semi-spherical head 24- on one end is an inwardly directed annular flange 31 that serves to hold one end of the sleeve 32. The sleeve-32 is disposed within the cap 29 and is locked therein by the flange 31.

The side wall of the sleeve 32 intermediate the ends thereof is slitted in a U-shaped configuration and bent inwardly to form a locking tongue 33 that is flexible in nature. When the cap is inserted over the bulletshaped head 27, the tongue flexes thereover and locks against the shoulder 23.

It will therefore be seen that when the cap 29 is once inserted over the inner end of the bolt j21,'the cap is locked with respect to the bolt and requires entire mutilation of the bolt before the cap can be removed.

The identification tag casing is indicated generally at 34 and the cover therefor is indicated generally at 35. The tag casing includes a substantially rectangular plate 36 formed with a'continuous channel 3'? around the margin on three sides thereof. The channel is on one face only of the plate. In the margin of the free side of the plate are formed a pair of openings 38, 39, the larger of which is along the longitudinal median while the smaller one is disposed'between the center and the outer edge thereof.

- On theface of the plate opposed to the channehthere is secured the locking shellindicated generally at e0. The shell 40 is preferably rectangular in configuration and open-on the face that is vdisposedagainst the rear face of the plate 36. The sidewalls of the shell are provided with flanges 41, 4-2

that are, soldered or otherwise secured to the rear face of the plate 36.

4 The upper end of the shell is open to receive the tongue of the cover to'be presently described." This shell is disposed along the longitudinal median of the upper portion of the rear face of the plate 36. The open end of the shell is at the upper edge of the plate 3 6. The interior of the shell provides .a

locking chamber 413 in which there is disposed a triangular-shaped, edgewise disposed latch a l. The latch is rigidly secured to the rear face of the plate 36 along the longitudinal median of the chamber 43, and extends downwardly from the large opening 38.

The cover or lid 35 is adapted to be disposed over one end of the plate 36. This cover 35 is form-ed of a single sheet of metal having a single ply rearwall 4:5. The front wall 46 is formed of two plies by bending the single sheet back upon itself and continuing the inner ply upwardly into the space between the front and rear walls, and thereafter continuing the sheet downwardly through the pocket 4E7 to form a projecting tongue 48.

The cover is of such aconfiguration as to fit over the upper end of the plate 36, very snugly, and the tongue l3 is spaced slightly from the rear wall' l5. The cover forms a seal over the upper end of the plate 36, and the pocket 4"? opens from the lower end of the cover. I

The projecting tongue 48 is provided with a longitudinal slot 49 that seats over the latch a l when the tongue 43 extends into the looking chamber e3. When the cover is inserted over the end of the plate 36, the pair of openings 50, hl register with openings 38, 39

esp'ectively in the plate-36.

The channel 37 on plate 36 is adapted to receive a' diaphanous panel 52. that bears against and holds the identification card 53 in the channel against the outer face of the plate. The diaphanous panel 52 and the identification card 53 extend tothe upper free edgeofthe plate 36 and are provided with openings that register with the openings 38, 39, on the plate. L

When the cover 35 is disposed over the end of the casing 34-, the small opening 51 registers with the openings in the panel and identification card, and the small opening 39 on the plate-36. Cooperating with the small opening is an additional sealing" means that consists of a bolt having a shank 54: that is smooth, and a. flat head 55 on oneend of the shank. .On the other end of the shank, there is a bullet-shaped head 56 that has a shoulder similar in all respects to the shoulder 23 on the locking bolt 21.

The shank 54 extends through the registering small openings 39 and 51 and seals the cover to the casing. There is a can 57 loched to the bullet-shaped head 56 similar in all respects to the cap 29 heretofore describedin connection with the locking bolt21.

Thus, it will be seen that when the registration card 1s inserted in the channel 37, the cover and casing are sealed together prior to the mounting on the locking bolt 21. It.

will therefore be seen that additional precautions are taken topreventunauthorized tampering withthe registration card prior to'its mountingon the automobile.

One way of mounting the identification tag casing, is to insert the shank 22 through the opening 17 in one supporting arm 16 having the shank projecting forwardly. Then a helical coil spring 59 is mounted over the shank 22 with one end bearing against the arm '16. Thereafter the assembled cover and easing are inserted over the shank 22 a tongue 33 locks against the square shoulder 28. Thus, it will be seen that the assembled cover and casing may be rotated about the threaded portion 23 of the shank 22, to the dotted position indicated at 60, whereupon the information will be within the vision of i the inquirer from the rear of the automobile.

Another means for mounting the identification card is shown in Figs. 12 and 13, wherein a portion of the license plate 18 is formed with a U-shaped fold longitudinally of the plate to provide a ledge 60 having a longitudinal slot 61 in the upper fold of the ledge, which leads into the pocket of the fold.

In. this form of the invention, the assembled casing 34 and cover 35 are mounted on the outei face of the license plate 18 with the cap 29 hearing against the outer face of the cover. In this latter method of mounting the identification tag, the spring 59 will bear against the inner face of the license plate 18. The lower end of the casing 34 extends through the slot 61 and bears against the inner face of one fold of the ledge and thereby prevents turning of the casing when it is seated in the slot.

It is to be understood that by describing in detail. herein any particular form, structure, or arrangement, it is not intended to limit the invention beyond the terms of the several claims or the requirements of the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. An identification tag holder comprising an elongated plate having on one face a marginal channel along certain of the sides and a pair of openings adjacent another side, an identification tag slidable in said channel, a diaphanous panel superimposed on said tag and slidable in said channel, said panel and tag each having a pair of openings that register with the pair of openings in said plate, a locking shell secured to the other face of the plate having an open top,

an upstanding latch within the shell, a cover slidable over one end of the plate, a tongue extending' fron i the cover seataible in said shell and having means thereon for engageinent with said latch, said cover formed with a pair of openings registering with the open ings in the plate, the tag and the panel, a

lockable supporting bolt and-"a lockable sealing bolt extending through said openings.

2. An identificationtag holder comprising an elongated plate having on one face a marginal channel along certain of the sides and a pair of openings ad a'ce'nt another side, an identlficatio'n tag slidable in said channel,

a diaphanous panel superimposed on said tag and slidable in said channel, said panel and tag each having a pair of openings that register with the pair of openings in said plate, a locking shell securedto the other face of the plate having an open top, anupstanding latch within the shell,- a cover slidable over one end of the plate, a tongue extending from the cover seatable in said shell and having means thereon for engagement with said latch, said cover formed with a pair of openings registering with the openings in the plate, the tag and the camel, a lockable supporting bolt and a looka le sealing bolt extending through said openings, said platebeing rectangular in Configuration and the channels formed around three sides thereof.

3. Anidentification tag holder compris ing an elongatedplate having on one face a marginal channel along certain of the sides and a pair of openings adjacent another side, an identification tag slidable in said channel, a diaphanous panel superimposed on said tag and slidable in said channel, said panel and tag each having a pair of openings that register with the pair of openings in said plate, a locking shell secured to the other face of the plate having an open top, an upstanding latch within the shell, a cover slidable over one end of the plate, a tongue extending from the cover seatable in said shell and having means thereon for engagement with said latch, said cover formed with a pair of openings registering with the openings in the plate, the tag and the panel, a lockable supporting bolt and a lockable sealing bolt extending through said openings, said platebeing rectangular in configuration and the channels formed around three sides thereof, said tongue formed integral with the cover and said means thereon including an elongated slot.

4. An identification tag holder including an elongated plate, an identification tag, a diaphanous panel superimposed on the tag, said tag and panel slidably associated with one face of the plate, an open ended locking shell disposed on the other face of the plate,

a cover slidable over one end of the plate for' sealing the identification tag with respect to the plate, a tongue on the cover extending into the shell, and means in the shell engageable with the tongue for locking the cover to the plate. i 5. An identification tag holder including an elongated plate,; an identification tag, a diaphanous, panel superimposed on the tag, said tag-and panel slidably associated with one face of the plate, an open ended locking.

shell disposed on the other face of the plate, a cover slidable over one end of the plate for sealing the identification tagwith respect to the plate, a tongue on the cover extending into the shell, means in the shell engageable with the tongue for locking the cover to the plate, a supporting bolt extending through the cover, panel, tag and plate, and a lockable cap engageable with one end of the bolt.

6. An identificationtag holder including an elongated plate, an identification tag, a diaphanous panel superimposed on the tag, said tag and panel slidably associated with one face of the plate, an open ended locking shell disposed on the other face of the plate, a cover slidable over one end of the plate for sealing; the identification tag with respect to the plate, a slotted tongue on the cover extending into the shell, means in the shell engageable; with the tongue for locking the cover to the plate, and said means including a latch mounted on the plate and disposed in the shell for engagement in the slot in the tongue.

In testimony whereof I afli x my signature.

, LUTHER J. KIGER. 

